Astros report: Lyles far from pleased with latest outing

The numbers said Jordan Lyles was better: six hits and two runs in 6 2⁄3 innings.

But a rough start Thursday put the righthander in an early hole while two walks and a wild pitch in the seventh inning allowed Tampa Bay to tie the game, and the Astros’ promising young pitcher wasn’t an admirer of his outing after a 7-5 loss in 11 innings to the Rays at Minute Maid Park.

“Going into the seventh inning, I didn’t have many pitches. The seventh inning kind of turned around on us and I let one get away. … Three walks overall is not good pitching,” said Lyles, who received a no-decision while striking out three on 98 pitches (57 strikes).

Tampa Bay failed to score in the second through sixth innings. But Lyles gave up a two-out double to Yunel Escobar and then fell behind Matt Joyce 2-1 before throwing a wild pitch high and wide. The ball hit the back screen, allowing Escobar to come home, tying the game at 2. A walk to Joyce followed, and Lyles’ day was done.

“I just did not throw good pitches in the seventh,” he said.

Dominguez gets day to recharge

With Brett Wallace starting at third base Thursday, normal starter Matt Dominguez was given the day off.

Manager Bo Porter declared Dominguez a building block of the Astros’ youth movement earlier this season, linking the 23-year-old with Jason Castro and Jose Altuve.

Dominguez is tied with Chris Carter for the team lead in RBIs (44), tied with Castro for second in home runs (11), ranks third in doubles (14) and is fourth in total bases (111). His batting average has fallen to .224, though, while his on-base percentage is just .253 and his OPS is .641.

After sitting out Thursday’s extra-inning loss, Dominguez is second on the team in games played (81). With a 10-day trip that includes a pair of scheduled days off, Porter wanted to squeeze in another rest day for his promising but slumping third baseman.

“He went through a stretch over the last week or so where he squared the ball up eight out of 15 at-bats and he didn’t have anything to show for it. So the at-bats are good,” Porter said. “It’s more of he’s played pretty much every day.

“Hopefully just get his legs back underneath him and he’ll go on a hot streak.

Norris making an All-Star case

Bud Norris, the Astros’ No. 1 starter, is making a late push as a candidate for the American League All-Star team. Rosters will be announced Saturday.

The Astros may earn only one selection. Second baseman Jose Altuve, the team’s lone 2012 All-Star, and catcher Jason Castro have long been favorites. But Norris leads the club in ERA (3.22), strikeouts (76), wins (six), quality starts (12) and innings (109).

He has been the team’s most consistent pitcher while shaking off constant trade rumors, allowing three earned runs or less in 15 of his 18 starts, despite a 6-7 record.

“I’ve had many people around baseball compliment Bud’s performance throughout the course of the year to me in conversation,” manager Bo Porter said.

Rangers update: The Rangers entered a Thursday evening home contest against Seattle having lost three of four games and in second place in the American League West, half a game behind Oakland. … The Rangers ranked seventh out of 30 teams in ERA (3.67) but were 21st in quality starts (21). … Ex-Astro Lance Berkman was hitting .263 with six home runs, 34 RBIs and a .750 OPS.

Astros update: Closer Jose Veras left Thursday’s game after being hit on the right little finger by a James Loney comebacker. Veras suffered a contusion but there wasn’t a break or fracture. “He’s fine. … We went out there and he couldn’t grip his changeup. That more so made the decision,” Astros manager Bo Porter said.